Flexible leaf hinge



lA. v. FROHNAPEL.

FLEXIBLE LEAF HINGE April 8, 1952 Original Filed June 13, 194'? 2 SHEETS--SHEET l E w :ai

r INVENTQR. hm/ WwW/MPM April 8, 1952 A. v. FRoHNAPr-:L

FLEXIBLE LEAF HINGE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Original Filed June 15. 1947 INVENTOR. I zvw VHPMWEL BY Awww/Ey Patented Apr. 8, 1952 FLEXIBLE LEAF HINGE Alvah V. Frohnapel, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Maryland Original application June 13, 1947, Serial No.

754,376. Divided and this application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,188

(Cl. Iii-150) 3 Claims. l This invention relates generally to refrigerating apparatus and particularly t`o hinges for hinging ice cream cabinet lids together.

This application is a division of my co-pending applicatiolnserial No. 754,376, filed June compartment of the cabinet. The inner dish- 13, 1947. like lid member 32 is preferably made of a ma- It is an object of the invention to provide an terial of low heat conductivity, such as phenolic improved hinge for hinging together a pair of plastic whereas the outer lid pan 32- is a comice cream cabinet lids in a manner substantially posite structure of two, secured together metal to eliminate exposed fasteners. sheets 35i, 3%. Of these metal sheets, the inner Another object of the invention is to provide sheet 36 is preferably made of relatively thick an improved ice cream cabinet lid hinge formed sheet steel to provide strength and rigidity to of sheet material having cooperating parts to the lid and the other or outer sheet 35 is made render the hinge durable and efcient. of a relatively thin sheet of corrosive resistant Another object of the invention is to provide l5 material, such as stainless steel. As shown, the a composite iieXible-rigid hinge which is inexstainless steel sheet 35 lies flat against and conpensive to make and one which can be readily forms to the outer contour of the inner steel assembled with ice cream cabinet lids. sheet 3E, the pan 321 and its complimentary rust Further objects and advantages of the present resisting cover sheet 35 preferably being slightly invention will be apparent from the following arched or Ycurved outwardly to give added description, reference being had to the accomstrength and rigidity thereto. Preferably, the panying drawings, wherein a preferred form of sheets of the outer pan are welded together prior the present invention is clearly shown. to assembly of the lid parts.

In the drawings: Preferably, the lids 28 are of trapezoidal shape Fig. 1 is an end view of an ice cream refriger- 25 in cross section, the inner pan 32 thereof havator cabinet embodying features of my invening a bottom 4l), opposite sides i2 and opposite tion; ends` 44 and 46. The pan sides :32, end fill and Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, plan view of the rebottom 40 are formed or molded integral and frigerator cabinet including a pair of hingedare provided with an outwardly directed, martogether cover lids; ginal portion or ange 43 extending along the Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the lids, upper edges thereof. The other end de of the taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; lid inner pan 32 is preferably a separately made Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the lids at the part which in addition to forming an end of the hinges, taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 2; lid, supports the hinge 313. 'Ihis end member Eig. 5 is a fragmentary, isometric View of the 35 i6 of the inner pan 32 is preferably of general hinge; channel shape in cross section for strength and Fig. 6 is an isometric View partly broken away rigidity having a web, upper and lower inwardly and in section of one of the lids; directed marginal portions or flanges 5t, and Fig. 7 is a vertical cross sectional View of One opposite end flanges 5i. The hinge supporting 0f the lids; and 40 end 46 of the lid may have its bottom flange 5i) Fig. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross secand end flanges 5l respectively cemented to the tional View 0f the lid hinge. bottom All Vand sides #l2 of the inner pan or these In the drawings, there is shown, a refrigeratparts may be secured together in any other suiting apparatus cabinet 20 of aftype suitable for able manner. The upper flange 5e of the end storage of ice cream, package goods, etc. The members 46 is substantially co-planar with the cabinet 20 may be of general rectangular shape outwardly directed marginal portion or flange in cross section having side walls 22, end walls 43 of the 11d inner pan, An inwardly Offset, 24 and a 60D wall 26. In the cabinet top wall outer marginal portion or flange ell of the outer 26, a number of openings 2l provide access t0 lid member 34 overlaps and seats on the iianges the storage Compartment of the cabinet, the 5o 4s, so of the 11d inner pan sa. These overlapopenings each being closed by a pair of covers ping, outer marginal portions of the lid together or lids 28 connected together by a hinge 30. with a sealing gasket 56 are received and Each of the cabinet lids 28 is of composite clamped together by a clamping strip 60 which construction and comprises in general, an inner also functions as a finish or trim strip. The dish-like lid member or pan 32 and an outer lid 66 gasket 56 extends along the lid sides e2 and end member or pan 34. Heat insulation 38, which may be of any suitable type, is preferably provided between the inner and outer lid pans 32, 34 to decrease heat leakage into the storage 44, against the underside of the lid ange 48 to seat on the upper surface of the cabinet top Wall when the lid is closed, as shown. The clamping and finish strip 66 is U-shaped in cross section to receive the overlapping outer marginal portions ofY the lidipans 32, 34 and of the gasket 56. Also, the clamping andiinish strip 6D is Ll-shaped, as seen in the plan view of the cabinet (Fig. 2); the clamping strip extending along the side and one end edge of the lid or along all but the hinge end of the lid. With the lid parts held together, suchas by a suitable jig (not shown) the U-shaped clamping strip 60 may be slid endwise over the lid pans and gasket marginal portions afterwhich the sides of the U-section clamping strip are forced Vor pressed together under suitable pressure to hold the lid parts together. The outer marginal portions of the inner and outer lid pans at the hinge end of the lid are secured together by the lid hinge 36.

`The hinge 36 comprises, a pair of elongated hinge or butt members 62 and a pliable or exible connecting member 64. As shown in Fig. 2, the hinge butts 62 are laterally positioned in spaced, parallel relation and are connected together by the pliable connecting member 64, the hinge extending along substantially the entire length of the lid hinge ends. The hinge butt connecting memberv 64 may comprise a strip of suitably pliable material preferably a durable and somewhat flexible material, such as, rubberized fabric. In order to provide an inexpensive, lightweight hinge,v Imakethe hinge butts) 62 -of thin sheet metal,v formed, as will later lee-seen, tovbe secured tothe Aconnecting member 64 without need of exposed fastening means. The hinge butts 62 are each of angle shape in cross section having a pair of legs 66 and 68. The legs 66 of the hinge 30 are respectively secured at against opposed surfaces of the lid hinge ends 46, preferably by countersunk screws 'I6 received in counterpunched apertures 'il inthe legs 66. The hinge butt'Y legs 68 have bent back edge portionsg in spaced relation thereto forming channels-12 in' which opposite side edge portions of the rubberized connecting member 54 are received and held. In the legs 68 of each hingebutt, a plurality of longitudinally spaced'weld projections or bosses 'l4pis provided which extend respectively'through a plurality of apertures 'l5 provided in the rubberizedv connecting member 64, the projections 14 extending to the underside of the reversely bent leg portions 69 of the channels 12. In assembling the-hinge, `the reversely bent leg portions 69 of l the channels 'l2 are forced inwardly against the rubberized connectingmember 64 which is then somewhat displaced or is under pressure and the Ysides of the channels 12 are then welded together at weld projections 14, thus securing the hinge butts to their connecting member '64 without need-of exposed fasteners. -Preferably the opposed edges of the channels Al2 are bent downwardly, as at TI, to embed in the rubberized connecting member 64 to aid in attaching the parts together and further to avoid having rough, exposededges of the hinge on which the hands may be scratched or cut. A-portion of the upper leg 68 ofthe hinge butt 62 overlapsy andseats againstthe outer marginal portion 54 of the lid outer pan 36 holdingthe outer lid pan to the hinge end-wall 46 without need of screws or other and similar fasteners. To aid in holding the outer and inner lid pans 32, 34 together at the hinge. end of the lid, I form the angle hinge butts with an acute angle so that the legs 66, 68 are forced apart to conform to the upper, exterior right angle of the lid end 46 when the screws are drawn down, thus tensioning the legs so that a downward force is exerted by the hinge leg 68 on the marginal portion of the outer pan 34, clamping .the pan along thismargin to the upper flange 50 of the lid or hinge supporting end 46.

At opposite ends of each of the hinge butts, ex-

tended, downwardly offset end portions 16 engage respectively in the U-sec'tion clamping and finish strip whereva single screw and nut is provided adjacent each end of the clamping strip, securing the inner and outer lid pans 32, 34, gasket 56 and hinges together.

Inthe opposed outer surfaces of the lid hinge ends 46, I provide oppositely disposed, elongated recesses 86 which extend substantially the length of the lids. In one of these recesses 80, I cement a resilient seal 82, preferably a tubular shaped member'of rubber or rubberized material which, when the'lids are closed engages in the recess of the adjacent lid sealing the joint therebetween.

From the foregoing description, it will be noted that I have provided an improved ice cream cabinet lid of inexpensive light weight construction, yet one which is strong and durable. Also, I have provided a composite lid construction which may be readily assembled due to the interconnecting relationship of the parts which eliminates largely the need for exposed fasteners to connect the parts together. In this connection, I have provided a pair of hinged together lids in which the hinge serves toY hold the lid parts together. In addition I have provided a pair of hinged together lids having provisions for sealing the joint therebetween when the lids are closed.

Although only a preferred form of the invention has been illustrated, and that form described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A hinge for connecting together a pair of refrigerator cabinet lids comprising, a pair of angle hinge members formed of sheet material, said hinge members each having a leg to be secured respectively to opposed ends of the lids and each having a channel-shaped leg to seat on the upper surface of a lid, a pliable connecting strip having opposite marginal edge portions clamped in and by said channel-shaped legs, and offset ears at opposite ends of said hinge members'for'securing the hinge members to the lids.

2. In a hinge, a hinge butt of channel cross section having a depressed weld projection extending from one side of the channel toward and weldedto 'the' other lside thereof, and a flexible butt-connecting member having a marginal portion disposed betweenthe sides of said channel and having'an aperture receiving said weld pro- Jection.

3. Ina hinge,'a hinge butt of channel cross section,A a depressed weld projection formed out of onesideof said channel extending toward and welded to the other side thereof, an inturned projection formed out of one side of said channel, aflexible butt-connecting member having a marginal'portion thereof clamped by and held between the sides of said channel, said inturned projection piercing said flexible butt-connecting member on clamping of the channel sides to- 5 gether and acting to hold the ilexible butt-connecting member to said channel, and an aperture in the marginal portion of said exible buttconneoting member receiving said depressed Weld projection.

ALVAI-I V. FROHNAPEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

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